Three Day Road Character Analysis

Xavier Bird

Niska’s nephew and Elijah’s best friend. Xavier is the protagonist in Three Day Road, and he is the personification of Native Cree culture. Xavier’s mother abandons him at the residential school when… read analysis of Xavier Bird

Elijah Whiskeyjack

Xavier’s best friend and the antagonist in Three Day Road. Elijah’s mother dies of a “coughing sickness” when Elijah is a small boy, and he goes to live with the nuns at the… read analysis of Elijah Whiskeyjack

Niska

Xavier’s aunt and Rabbit’s sister. Niska is the hookimaw, or spiritual leader, or her clan, and she is “the second to last in a long line of windigo killers.” After Niska’s father… read analysis of Niska

Micah’s Wife

Micah’s wife goes into the bush to survive with her husband and baby during a harsh winter, but game is scarce everywhere, and Micah can’t feed them. As they slowly stave in the Canadian bush… read analysis of Micah’s Wife

Niska’s Father

Father to Niska and Rabbit, and “the last great talker of [their] clan. Niska’s father told many stories when Niska was young, and he also served as the clan’s hookimaw (spiritual leader). Niska’s father… read analysis of Niska’s Father

Lieutenant Breech

An officer in the Canadian Army during World War I and part of Xavier and Elijah’s unit. The men in Xavier and Elijah’s unit refer to Lieutenant Breech as “Bastard Breech,” as he is… read analysis of Lieutenant Breech

Grey Eyes

A soldier in the Canadian Army and part of Elijah and Xavier’s unit. Grey Eyes is addicted to morphine, and he first introduces Elijah to the drug on the ship to Europe to fight… read analysis of Grey Eyes

Niska’s Mother

Mother to Niska and Rabbit and grandmother to Xavier. After Niska’s father dies, Niska’s mother teaches Niska the “old ways” and “the magic deep in the bush that is real.” She teaches Niska about… read analysis of Niska’s Mother

Micah

A young Cree hunter. Micah takes his wife and baby into the bush to survive during a harsh winter. Game is scarce, however, and Micah and his family continue to starve. Micah becomes “desperate” and… read analysis of Micah

Peggy

An Indigenous soldier in the Canadian Army during World War I. Peggy is an Ojibwe and a sniper, and while he has well over one hundred kills, Peggy’s commanding officers will not give him credit… read analysis of Peggy

The Wemistikoshiw Trapper

A French trapper. Niska comes across the wemistikoshiw trapper in the woods, and he follows her back to her lodge. They make love and have a longstanding relationship. One night, a local awawatuk (Indigenous hunter)… read analysis of The Wemistikoshiw Trapper

Corporal Thompson

An officer in the Canadian Army and part of Xavier and Elijah’s unit. Thompson is kind to Xavier and Elijah, unlike Lieutenant Breech, and he teaches them all about life in the trenches… read analysis of Corporal Thompson

Sergeant McCaan

An officer in the Canadian Army during World War I, and part of Elijah and Xavier’s unit. Like Corporal Thompson, Sergeant McCaan is kind to Elijah and Xavier, and he excuses Elijah’s boastful… read analysis of Sergeant McCaan

The Girl/Lisette

A prostitute near Saint-Eloi in France. Elijah tricks Xavier and tells him that Lisette is the daughter of an estaminet owner, and Xavier begins to fall in love with her. Xavier has sex with Lisette… read analysis of The Girl/Lisette

The Old Indian Woman

An old Indian woman who lives in Moose Factory. When Niska goes to Moose Factory to find the wemistikoshiw trapper, the people stare at her in disgust. Women call away their children and men… read analysis of The Old Indian Woman

Joseph Netmaker

A Cree man living in Moose Factory. Joseph Netmaker grew up in Moose Factory and was forced by the nuns at the residential school to read and write English, so he helps Niska write a… read analysis of Joseph Netmaker

Francis

A soldier in the French Army during World War I. Elijah meets Francis in a wrecked French town, where Francis tells Elijah about Peggy, an Indian sniper who isn’t given credit for his kills… read analysis of Francis

The Indian

An Ojibwe soldier in the Canadian military during World War I. Elijah and Xavier meet the Indian in a pub in the French village of Lens—the only other Anishnabe they meet during the war—and he… read analysis of The Indian

Old Man Ferguson

The proprietor of the trading post in Moose Factory. Ferguson’s trading post is a hotbed of local gossip, and he gets all the latest news from the battlefields as well as the names of soldiers… read analysis of Old Man Ferguson

Rabbit

Niska’s sister and Xavier’s mother. Rabbit goes to the residential school in Moose Factory and is transformed into Anne. As Anne, Rabbit rejects her Native identity and embraces wemistikoshiw (European) culture. She begins… read analysis of Rabbit

Colquhoun

An officer in the Canadian military during World War I. Colquhoun is sent to Elijah and Xavier’s unit after Sergeant McCaan is killed in battle. Colquhoun doesn’t care for Elijah, and he doesn’t turn… read analysis of Colquhoun

Minor Characters

Gilberto

A soldier in the Canadian Army during World War I. Gilberto is Italian, and Xavier is “fond” of him because Gilberto’s English is poor, just like Xavier’s, when he first joins the military. Gilberto is killed near the end of the war.

Sean Patrick

A Canadian sniper in Elijah and Xavier’s unit during World War I. Sean Patrick is killed at his sniping post when he is shot by a German sniper because Sean Patrick’s spotter, Grey Eyes, is high on morphine.

Driscoll

The medical officer in Elijah’s unit. Elijah must go to Driscoll with medical excuses and complaints of pain to supply his morphine addition.

Graves

A Canadian soldier in Elijah and Xavier’s unit during World War I.

Smithy

A Canadian sniper in World War I. Smithy is the first person to tell Elijah about Peggy, an Indian sniper with an unbeatable record.

Fat